Hi, we’re Artburst!
We are an award-winning not-for-profit community arts organisation improving the lives of young people and families in London with specific needs and from disadvantaged backgrounds. We have recently moved to a new space in Hoxton, East London.
This winter we need YOUR HELP!
We need to raise £3000 to transform this dreary shop unit into a warm, welcoming and safe place for the local community. A space where we can run workshops for children, parents and families from the local estates. And a space where Artburst can grow as a stable and sustainable company.
Who are Artburst?
Artburst are a not-for-profit organisation who run creative educational projects for children aged 0 – 19, and their families. Since we were founded, we’ve worked with over 15,000 children in and around London!
Artburst was established in 2006 by childhood friends Amy Bicât and Penny Embden. Both Penny and Amy believe in the therapeutic application of the arts, and it was with this in mind that Artburst was born.
Our projects make a real difference to children’s confidence, and social and team working skills. For older children they support educational and personal development, and for the under 5s they encourage the development of speech and physical co-ordination.
We work with children and families with a really wide range of needs such as Autism, English as an Additional Language, Special Educational Needs, and children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Our workshops always involve a lively combination of art, drama, music and movement, using a piece of classic children’s literature as a starting point. Children are supported by our incredible team of arts and drama facilitators and often a specialist workshop leader such as a Speech Therapist.
‘Artburst bring a fresh perspective. They show that creative arts really can have an impact on vulnerable children and young people’ - Stephen Parsons, Speech and Language Therapy Team Manager, Hackney and the City, Speak Out project partner, 2012
Artburst currently run the 3 year Speak Out project for Under 5s and Year 6 children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs in Hackney, funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities programme. We also lead a 3 year holiday school project, working with disadvantaged children in Bow, funded by a grant from BBC Children in Need and the regular Wondertots and Wordburst Family Explorers programme at the V&A Museum of Childhood, as well as a range of other workshops and events across London.
So, why do we need your help?
Artburst are a small, passionate team doing a big job! We currently have a staff team of just 4, and 2 of these roles are temporary. We are also completely not-for-profit and the majority of our work is grant-funded. Until recently were based in a small office near Mare Street in Hackney, but our rents went up beyond what we could afford, and we had to move.
Luckily, we’ve been given the AMAZING opportunity to rent a brand new space for Artburst on Hoxton Street in East London. Hoxton Street has such a vibrant community of local businesses, arts and education organisations like Hoxton Hall and the Ministry of Stories, and is surrounded by a large area of social housing.
It has always been Artburst’s dream to one day have our own centre that we can open up to the local community to run our workshops. This space has SO MUCH potential, and could finally make that dream a reality, but the way we are funded means that without your help this simply won’t happen.
What will we do with the money?
As you can see from our film, we have the bare bones but the shop needs more work! Your donations will make all the difference, enabling us to:
- Create a bright and welcoming shop front
- Create a welcoming workshop space for children and parents
- Make the building more secure
- Install baby changing facilities
- Buy storage units for the workshop space
- Make the shop accessible for disabled people and families with very young children
We’re SO excited about this opportunity, and in return for your generous donations the Artburst team and our amazing facilitators have come up with some great rewards!
Join us for an exclusive cosy evening of Xmas crafts in December, get the VIP treatment at our launch party in January, sign your kids up for some awesome Artburst workshops, or get a unique drama or music experience with one of our talented facilitators!
If you want to find out more about any of the rewards, or you want to donate by cash or cheque, just give us a call on 020 8510 0220 or drop us an email
On behalf of the whole Artburst team, thank you!
The owner of this project has not made any updates yet.
